[Sca-cooks] semi OT question on steer butchering and costs

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> I'm half hoping Phlip is reading but in case she isn't, I'm posting this
question to SCA cooks instead of MK Cooks because I have to decide on
something by tomorrow...

Yeah, I'm here. Just got back from smithing at a RennFaire over the weekend-
spent yesterday sleeping, so I might be awake and functional today ;-)

> I have the opportunity to get a good freezer full of beef from an Amish
farmer during the month of August. We get produce delivery from a certified
organic farm in Michigan and the farm owners work with a local Amish family
to find buyers for his beef. They're looking to distribute 1/4's and 1/2's
butchered and packaged some time in August (after Pennsic).
>
> >From what I've been able to find out, most steer will have a rough
hanging weight of about 500 pounds with about 300 of that in useable meat
after the processing. That puts it at 150 lbs per side. At, say, 3.00$ per
pound for the cost of the meat and the processing costs per pound, that
makes the overall cost for the meat 225$ for a 1/4 side, 450$ for a 1/2
side, and 900$ for a whole, assuming my math is correct and my assumptions
roughly accurate.

> Is my math correct? It seems to me that while 3$/pound for organically
raised ground beef is a bit pricey, for a t-bone, filet, or rib eye, it's
pretty darned good. At least in my area. Thoughts? Feel free to jump in.
>
> Iasmin

Looks fairly accurate. A couple points, though. Instead of comparing the
cost of the ground meat to hamburger, go up a grade to ground round or
chuck- a steer raised the way you're describing won't have been put in a
feed lot and fattened, so there will be much less excess fat to throw into
the scraps (which is essentially what your ground beef is made out of). And,
generally, all your meat is going to be just a bit tougher than you're used
to, although you'll find that it will be more intensely "beef" flavored. If
you'll recall, that veal calf I did for you was generally leaner than most
veal you'd seen in stores, and that was because she was primarily grass fed,
with a small grain supplement the time shortly before she was slaughtered.
In her case, I can tell you she had a pleasant life, and a quick and
stress-free death, as such things go.

Honestly, much of what you're paying for will be the processing- that's why
I learned how to do it myself. What you WON'T be paying for is the
middleman's mark-up, transportation to and from the slaughtering plant, and
lots of other incidentals. You'll also be having a cow whose history and
breed you know, although not in as much detail as I knew Caramel's life and
history.

Instead of trying to compare apples and oranges, as you are now, wait until
you get the meat (go ahead and do it- everyone needs to at least once) and
do an inventory on what you have in each package. Then, go to the store, and
compare the per lb price, cut by cut. I think you'll be pleasantly
surprised.

Ultimately, you're going to decide based on how well disposing of a cow
jibes with your meat consumption habits. For people who just tend to use a
couple of cuts- say, hamburger, chuck roast, and T-bone steaks, it's not
going to be a good deal- lots of Other Stuff compared to their usual cuts.
For someone who uses many different cuts, it's a great deal.

Since it's just you two, I'd ask for some roasts, but primarily steaks, with
the rest burger, as that will be easiest for two working people. Also, ask
if he'll wrap you some marrow bones- great for soup- and if you don't ask,
most of that will get pitched automaticly, since most folks don't want them.
And, go for a half- wider variety and more even distribution of meat.

Anything else?

Saint Phlip,
CoD

"When in doubt, heat it up and hit it with a hammer."
 Blacksmith's credo.

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....